Early Years

1 2 3 Kindergarten is a down-to-earth, practical guide to help parents, caregivers and educators ensure children's readiness for kindergarten. Written by a kindergarten teacher and parent, this award-winning book, has tips, explanations, short-cuts and fun. It includes ideas that use resources already available at home or in child care centers and strategies to incorporate learning time into busy, active days. An easy-to-use developmental checklist and rating scale, guidance for the this-year-or-next-year debate, and suggestions for home-school transition make this a birth-to-kindergarten resource.

Born in British Columbia, Tsimshian artist and mother Morgan Asoyuf makes her publishing debut with Black and White: Visual Stimulation for Babies.

Using familial crests as her artistic inspiration, this book of high-contrast images is designed to stimulate brain growth and visual development in young babies.

Author StatementThe crest system of the Pacific Northwest is what gave rise to the Northwest Coast art form. Crests depict the deeper story of our Peoples' familial ranks and migratory paths.

Beyond my personal interest in historical art and the processes that create it, I also care deeply about the forwarding of traditional Tsm'syen art and culture.

When my baby was one month old I wanted her to be able to look at black and white images from her Tsimhsian culture. As babies develop sight, they can best see high contrast images and patterns. Exposing them to black and white artwork stimulates brain growth and visual devleopment.

I spent two months developing my drawings and testing them on her. Interestingly, she had clear favourites and would be more excited for certain images.

Northwest art has a healing and mesmerizing effect for all ages and I believe viewing it from a young age will create a varied cognitive development.

What a wonderful way to introduce children to a lifetime of reading!

-- Morgan Asoyuf, Tsimshian

Additional Information20 pages | 6.5" x 6.5"

Authenticity Note: Because this book is wordless, only the Authentic Indigenous Artwork label has been applied and no Text Content Territory has been assigned. The story is told through images, though, which depict Tsimshian culture.

This book provides Aboriginal Head Start staff and communities with ideas and suggestions on recruiting Elders, orienting them to the classroom setting, and involving them in Early Childhood Programs. With photos and examples of Elders who are active in AHS sites across BC, it acknowledges their contributions and important role in teaching our children. Tools for cultural protocols and preschool licensing requirements are also included.

This resource is designed for use by Early Childhood Educators, pre-school and primary teachers, StrongStart facilitators, parents, grandparents and caregivers of young children who love music and nature. It provides activities that are linked to the song lyrics and make connections to actions that very young children can do in their everyday lives: observing and learning about the natural world, recycling, composting, caring for plants and animals, and much more. Singing songs together is an enjoyable way to learn and be inspired to take action.

This is a great resource for those who are just beginning to work with Aboriginal children and are concerned about teaching with authenticity. This resource very firmly guides educators through what is considered appropriate, and what isn't, from an Aboriginal perspective in the classroom. Therefore it could be easily taken the wrong way and I would recommend that while using this resource that you openly have conversation with your Aboriginal Education staff about what you're reading. Currently several of the Aboriginal titles are out of print but they are such well known books that they likely can be found in your DRC. -Terri

Create a curriculum that reflects and honors the diversity of all people," Lessons from Turtle Island "explores Native American issues in preschool and early primary education. The authors-one Native, one white-offer guidelines for learning experiences that move children beyond embedded stereotypes.

"[A] marvelous tool that should be in every American school."-Joseph Bruchac, author of "Heart of a Chief and The Winter People"

Guy W. Jones, Hunkpapa Lakota, is a full-blood member of the Standing Rock Sioux Nation. He is a co-founder of the Miami Valley Council for Native Americans in Dayton, Ohio.

Sally Moomaw teaches at the University of Cincinnati. She is the co-author of the More Than . . . curriculum series published by Redleaf Press.

This unique book features an array of approaches, strategies, and tools for teaching multiculturally in the early years. The teachers and classrooms portrayed here provide young children with rich educational experiences that empower them to understand themselves in relation to others. You will see how amazing teachers engage in culturally responsive teaching that fosters educational equity while also meeting state and national standards (such as the Common Core State Standards).

This engaging book is sprinkled with questions for reflection and implementation that encourage educators to start planning ways of enhancing their own teaching, making their early childhood setting a more equitable learning space.

Nature based classrooms are powerful programs that seamlessly merge early childhood and environmental education to develop a lifelong connection with the natural world. This book is for preschool and primary educators who are thinking about adding a nature component to their current program and for those who have started to take their students outside and are looking for more information to run a successful and safe outdoor program. This user-friendly book provides guidance on how to organize, manage and resource a nature early learning program.

In an era when the majority of children are not asking what they want to be when they grow but instead what they want to be when they give up, Parenting...With A Twist will help you raise hopeful, thriving, engaged and confident children.

Building a great relationship with your child, and making them success-ready, is an important part of allowing them to become self-sufficient and happy. Instead of using punitive measures, discover the magic in getting to know your child, and fall back in love with them at every age.

Learn why it’s important for your child to say “no”, and even lie to you. Explore not allowing school grades to define your child, and understand all of your child’s behaviours, especially the ones that drive you the most insane.

Using our Success...With A Twist system, you will be able to do your own Parenting Skills Assessment. Do you spend enough quality time with your child? Is your household set up for success? Are you able to navigate the school system with piece of mind? Do you like the child you love? Included are many hands-on and interactive tools, to empower you to discover the positive parent within.

"A good friend told me, when I was pregnant with my first child, that it’s not how much you save for your children for their first car, house, marriage, schooling, or whatever you deem as important — it’s how much you save for them for counselling because no matter what you do as a parent, you somehow mess it up! We are here to help you mess it up a little less!” Amber Scotchburn

If you sometimes feel like you want to curl up into a cocoon and not parent anymore? Then, be prepared for something amazing and wonderful — look at what happens when caterpillars come out of their cocoons! You too can transform into the parent you’ve always wanted to be!

We understand that there is a lot of intense pressure on parents to produce a successful child, teenager and young adult! Often this pressure starts from even the mere thought of having a child. Let us walk you through this journey and help your child survive instead of just barely survive.

After studying the current research on literacy learning for young children, delving into the beliefs and schools of Reggio Emilia, and discovering the Maker Movement, the authors created StoryMaking. With great success, they implemented it in their diverse and large public school district. StoryMaking shares the processes, first steps, next steps, uses for materials, and lessons learned so teachers can implement their own versions in their classrooms.

Educator InformationThe book shares practical suggestions, student samples, photographs, anchor charts, and other forms of documentation so teachers can implement their own version of StoryMaking in their classrooms.